Tape reel

ABSTRACT

A tape reel is disclosed, which includes a first reel disk and a second reel disk. The first reel disk includes plural first coupling structures. The second reel disk has plural third coupling structures. The third coupling structures would couple to the first coupling structures for positioning by rotating the first reel disk and the second reel disk. The first reel disk may include plural second coupling structures staggered to the first coupling structures. There is a height difference between the first and second coupling structure. The third coupling structures would selectively couple to the first coupling structures or the second coupling structures. A first gap is formed between the first and second reel disk when the third coupling structures couple to the first coupling structures. A second gap is formed between the first and second reel disk when the third coupling structures couple to the second coupling structures.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to Taiwan Application Ser. No. 99123886, filed Jul. 21, 2010, which is herein incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND

1. Field of Invention

The present invention relates to a reel. More particularly, the present invention relates to a tape reel.

2. Description of Related Art

Anisotropic conductive film (ACF) is an insulated material containing conductive particles. ACF tape is widely used in printed circuit boards, or the electrically connections on LCD glass substrates to the IC chip or the flexible printed circuit board.

ACF tape is mostly placed on the tape reel when the ACF tape is stored or used. Conventional tape reel can be formed by stacking and ultrasonic welding plural disks. A conventional tape reel can be formed by coupling two disks along the axial direction of the disks. The gap between the disks of the tape reel is fixed and cannot be adjusted. However, the firm would fabricate a variety of ACF tapes with different widths according to the costumer requirement. A variety of tape reels with different sizes to fit different widths of tapes respectively are difficult to manage and increase the cost of storage.

SUMMARY

An object of the invention is to provide a tape reel assembled by rotary coupling two disks.

Another object of the invention is to provide a tape reel, and the gap of the tape reel is adjustable to fit different widths of the tapes.

An aspect of the invention is a tape reel. The tape reel includes a first reel disk having a first central opening, and a second reel disk having a second central opening. The first reel disk includes plural first coupling structures and plural second coupling structures. The first coupling structures and the second coupling structures are staggered around the first central opening. Plural spaces are formed between each of the two first coupling structures and each of the two second coupling structures respectively. A height difference is formed between the first coupling structures and the second coupling structures. The second reel disk includes plural third coupling structures arranged around the second central opening. The second reel disk is rotated relative to the first reel disk to selectively couple the third coupling structures to the first coupling structures or the second coupling structure, wherein a first gap is formed between the first reel disk and the second reel disk when the third coupling structures couple to the first coupling structures; a second gap is formed between the first disk reel and the second disk reel when the third coupling structures couple to the second coupling structures. The width of the third coupling structures can be smaller than the width of the spaces. The first coupling structures and the second coupling structures can be plural slots, and the third coupling structures can be plural plates. The first coupling structures and the second coupling structures can be plural plates, and the third coupling structures can be plural slots. Each of the slots includes an upper rail and a lower rail, and the width of the upper rail is smaller than the width of the lower rail. Each of the plates has a stopper disposed at an end of the plate. The first coupling structures and the second coupling structures can be plural upper elastic pieces, and the third coupling structures can be plural lower elastic pieces. Each of the upper elastic pieces has a position cavity, and each of the lower elastic pieces has a position protrusion. The first coupling structures and the second coupling structures can be plural guide tracks, and the third coupling structures can be plural elastic arms. Each of the guide tracks has a position flange, and each of the elastic arms has a position notch.

Another aspect of the invention provides a tape reel. The tape reel includes a first reel disk having a first central opening, and a second reel having a second central opening. The first reel disk has plural first coupling structures arranged around the first central opening. The second reel disk has plural third coupling structures arranged around the second central opening. The second reel disk is rotated relative to the first reel disk to couple the third coupling structures to the first coupling structures for positioning the first reel disk and the second reel disk. The first coupling structures can be plural slots, and the third coupling structures can be plural plates. The first coupling structures can be plural of upper elastic pieces, and the third coupling structures can be plural lower elastic pieces. The first coupling structures can be plural guide tracks, and the third coupling structures can be plural elastic arms.

The tape reel of the invention is assembled by rotating and couple the first reel disk to the second reel disk. The third coupling structures of the second reel disk can couple to the first coupling structures or the second coupling structures selectively to adjust the gap of between the first reel disk and the second reel disk. The gap of the tape reel can be adjusted to fit the widths of two or more tapes. Thus the stock manage of the tape reel can be more flexible.

It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are by examples, and are intended to provide further explanation of the invention as claimed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further understanding of the invention, and are incorporated in and constitute a part of is this specification. The drawings illustrate embodiments of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention. In the drawings,

FIG. 1 is an explosion diagram of a first embodiment of the tape reel of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a partial side view diagram of a second embodiment of the tape reel of the invention; and

FIG. 3 is a partial top view diagram of a third embodiment of the tape reel of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

Reference will now be made in detail to the present embodiments of the invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers are used in the drawings and the description to refer to the same or like parts.

The present invention provides a new type of tape reel, which is assembled by rotary coupling, and the gap for placing the tape can be adjusted by adding coupling structures with different heights. Thus, the tape reel can fit in one or more tapes with different width. Therefore, the number, the variety, and the type of the tape reel can be decreased, and the managed cost of the tape reel can be also reduced.

FIG. 1 is an explosion diagram of a first embodiment of the tape reel of the invention. The tape reel 100 includes a first reel disk 110 and a second reel disk 120. The first reel disk 110 has a first central opening 112. The second reel disk 120 has a second central opening 122. The tape reel 100 can be positioned on a carrier with the first central opening 112 and the second central opening 122.

The first reel disk 110 includes plural first coupling structures 114 and plural second coupling structures 116. The first coupling structures 114 and the second coupling structures 116 are staggered around the first central opening 112. Plural spaces 118 are formed between each of the first coupling structures 114 and each of the second coupling structures 116. The first coupling structures 114 are arranged at the first height along the axial direction of the first reel disk 110. The second coupling structures 116 are arranged at the second height along the axial direction of the first reel disk 110. A height difference is formed between the first coupling structures 114 and the second coupling structures 116 along the radial direction of the first reel disk 110.

The second reel disk 120 includes plural third coupling structures 124. The third coupling structures 124 are arranged around the second central opening 122. The width of the third coupling structures 124 is smaller than the width of the spaces 118 between the first coupling structure 114 and the second coupling structure 116. The number of the third coupling structures 124 can be the same as the number of the first coupling structures 114 and the number of the third coupling structures 116. Namely, the number of the first coupling structures 114, the second coupling structures 116, and the third coupling structures 124 are the same. The first coupling structures 114, the second coupling structures 116, and the third coupling structures 124 are arranged uniformly. The angle between each two of the first coupling structures 114 is the same. The angle between each two of the second coupling structures 116 is the same. The angle between each two of the third coupling structures 124 is the same.

For example, there are two first coupling structures 114, two second coupling structures 116, and two third coupling structures 124 in this embodiment. The angle between the first coupling structures 114, the second coupling structures 116, and the third coupling structures 124 is 180 degree.

The second reel disk 120 rotates relative to first reel disk 1110 and couple to the first reel disk 110. The third coupling structures 124 can enter the spaces 118 and rotate to couple to the first coupling structures 114 or the second coupling structures 116 selectively according to the desire gap. A first gap is formed between the first reel disk 110 and the second reel disk 120 when the third coupling structures 124 couple to the first coupling structures 114. A second gap is formed between the first reel disk 110 and the second reel disk 120 when the third coupling structures 124 couple to the second coupling structures 116. The first gap is different from the second gap. The gap of the tape reel 100 can be adjusted to fit in different tapes with different widths.

The first coupling structures 114 and the second coupling structures 116 are plural slots, and the third coupling structures 124 are plural plates in this embodiment. Each of the slots has an upper rail 132 and a lower rail 134. The third coupling structures 130 are clamped between the upper rails 132 and the lower rails 134. The thickness of the third coupling structures 124 is approximately the same as the distance between the upper rails 132 and the lower rails 134. The material of the upper rails 132, the lower rails 134, and the third coupling structures 124 can be plastic with elasticity. The thickness of the third coupling structures 124 can be similar to the distance between the upper rails 132 and the lower rails 134.

The width of the upper rail 132 is preferable smaller than the width of the lower rail 134. Thus, the third coupling structures 124 would slide between the upper rail 132 and the lower rail 134 smoothly. Each of the third coupling structures 124 has a stopper 136. The stoppers 136 are disposed at an end of the plates of the third coupling structures 124 respectively. The stoppers 136 would touch the upper rail 132 for positioning when the first reel disk 110 couples to the second reel disk 120.

The slots of the first coupling structures 114 and the second coupling structures 116 can be regarded as the thread of the screw, and the plate of the third coupling structures 124 are swiveled to insert and coupled to the slots.

The third coupling structures 124 can couple to the first coupling structures 114 or couple to the second coupling structures 116 selectively to adjust the gap between the first reel disk 110 and the second reel disk 120 according to the width of the desired tape.

The first coupling structures 114 and the second coupling structures 116 are the slots, and the third coupling structures 124 are the plates in his embodiment. In other embodiments, the first coupling structures 114 and the second coupling structures 116 can be plates, and the third coupling structures 124 can be the slots.

FIG. 2 is a partial side view diagram of a second embodiment of the tape reel of the invention. As disclosed above, the tape reel 200 includes the first reel disk 210 and the second reel disk 220. The first reel disk 210 includes plural first coupling structures and plural second coupling structures. The first coupling structures and the second coupling structures are staggered. A is height difference is formed between the first coupling structures and the second coupling structures along the radial direction of the first reel disk 210. The second reel disk 220 includes plural third coupling structures. The third coupling structures can rotate to couple to the first coupling structures or couple to the second coupling structures selectively according to the desire gap. A first gap is formed between the first reel disk 210 and the second reel disk 220 when the third coupling structures couple to the first coupling structures. A second gap is formed between the first reel disk 210 and the second reel disk 220 when the third coupling structures couple to the second coupling structures.

This diagram is the side view diagram of the tape reel 200 at the central opening. The first coupling structures and the second coupling structures are plural upper elastic pieces 230, and the third coupling structures are plural lower elastic pieces 240 in this embodiment. Each of the upper elastic pieces 230 has a position cavity 232, and each of the lower elastic pieces 240 has a position protrusion 242. The third coupling structures can couple to the first coupling structures or couple to the second coupling structures selectively when the first reel disk 210 is rotated relative to the second reel disk 220. The position protrusions 242 of the lower elastic pieces 240 would couple to the corresponding position cavities 232 of the upper elastic pieces 230 to position the first reel disk 210 and the second reel disk 220.

FIG. 3 is a partial top view diagram of a third embodiment of the tape reel of the invention. As disclosed above, the tape reel 300 includes the first reel disk 310 and the second reel disk 320. The first reel disk 310 includes plural first coupling structures and plural second coupling structures. The first coupling structures and the second coupling structures are staggered. A height difference is formed between the first coupling structures and the second coupling structures along the radial direction of the first reel disk 310. The second reel disk 320 includes plural third coupling structures. The third coupling structures can rotate to couple to the first coupling structures or couple to the second coupling structures selectively according to the desire gap. A first gap is formed between the first reel disk 310 and the second reel disk 320 when the third coupling structures couple to the first coupling structures. A second gap is formed between the first reel disk 310 and the second reel disk 320 when the third coupling structures couple to the second coupling structures.

The first coupling structures and the second coupling structures are plural guide tracks 330, and the third coupling structures are plural elastic arms 340 in this embodiment. Each of the guide tracks 330 has a position flange 332. Each of the elastic arms 340 has a position, notch 342. The third coupling structures can couple to the first coupling structures or couple to the second coupling structures selectively when the first reel disk 310 is rotated relative to the second reel disk 320. The position notches 342 of the elastic arms 340 would couple to the corresponding position flanges 332 of the guide track 330 to position the first reel disk 310 and the second reel disk 320.

According to the above embodiments, there is a height difference between the first coupling structures and the second coupling structures. The third coupling structures can enter the spaces between the first coupling structures or the second coupling structures, and the third coupling structures slide toward the first coupling structures or the second coupling structures. Thus the third coupling structure can couple to the first coupling structures or the second coupling structures selectively. The space between the first coupling structures and the second coupling structures can be exposed as shown in FIG. 1. The space can also be formed above the first coupling structures or the second coupling structures. The first coupling structures and the second coupling structures can be designed partially overlap. The first coupling structures and the second coupling structures may have other different arrangement. The only requirement is that the third coupling structures can enter the spaces and couple to the first coupling structures or the second coupling structures selectively.

Although the above embodiments only disclose that the third coupling structures can couple to the first coupling structures or the second coupling structures to adjust the gap between the first reel disk and the second reel disk. Person of ordinary skilled in the art can realize that the first reel disk can have more than two sets of coupling structures with different heights to increase the variety of the gap of the tape reel. The second reel disk may also have more than one set of coupling structures with different heights to increase the flexibility of the tape reel assembly.

The tape reel of the invention is assembled by rotating coupling the first reel disk to the second reel disk. Although the above embodiments disclose that the third coupling structures can couple to the first coupling structures or the second coupling structures to adjust the gap between the first reel disk and the second reel disk. However, the first reel disk may have single set of the coupling structures if there is not a need of gap. adjusting. The first reel disk can rotate and couple to the second reel disk rapidly when the tape reel is assembled.

The tape reel of the invention is assembled by rotating and couple the first reel disk to the second reel disk. The third coupling structures of the second reel disk can couple to the first coupling structures or the second coupling structures selectively to adjust the gap of between the first reel disk and the second reel disk. The gap of the tape reel can be adjusted to fit the widths of two or more tapes. Thus the stock manage of the tape reel can be more flexible.

Although the present invention has been described in considerable detail with reference to certain embodiments thereof, other embodiments are possible. Therefore, the spirit and scope of the appended claims should not be limited to the description of the embodiments contained herein.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made to the structure of the present invention without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention. In view of the foregoing, it is intended that the present invention cover modifications and variations of this invention provided they fall within the scope of the following claims and their equivalents. 

1. A tape reel comprising: a first reel disk having a first central opening, the first reel disk comprising: a plurality of first coupling structures; and a plurality of second coupling structures, wherein the first coupling structures and the second coupling structures are staggered around the first central opening, and a plurality of spaces are formed between each two of the first coupling structures and each two of the second coupling structures respectively, and a height difference is formed between the first coupling structures and the second coupling structures; and a second reel disk having a second central opening, the second reel disk comprising a plurality of third coupling structures arranged around the second central opening, wherein the second reel disk is rotated relative to the first reel disk to selectively couple the third coupling structures to the first coupling structures or the second coupling structure, wherein a first gap is formed between the first reel disk and the second reel disk when the third coupling structures couple to the first coupling structures; a second gap is formed between the first disk reel and the second disk reel when the third coupling structures couple to the second coupling structures.
 2. The tape reel of claim 1, wherein the width of the third coupling structures is smaller than the width of the spaces.
 3. The reel disk of claim 1, wherein the first coupling structures and the second coupling structures are a plurality of slots, and the third coupling structures are a plurality of plates.
 4. The tape reel of claim 3, wherein each of the slots comprises an upper rail and a lower rail, and the width of the upper rail is smaller than the width of the lower rail.
 5. The tape reel of clam 3, wherein each of the plates has a stopper disposed at an end of the plate.
 6. The tape reel of claim 1, wherein the first coupling structures and the second coupling structures are a plurality of plates, and the third coupling structures are a plurality of slots.
 7. The tape reel of claim 6, wherein each of the slots comprises an upper rail and a lower rail, and the width of the upper rail is smaller than the width of the lower rail.
 8. The tape reel of clam 6, wherein each of the plates has a stopper disposed at an end of the plate.
 9. The tape reel of claim 1, wherein the first coupling structures and the second coupling structures are a plurality of upper elastic pieces, and the third coupling structures are a plurality of lower elastic pieces.
 10. The tape reel of claim 9, wherein each of the upper elastic pieces has a position cavity, and each of the lower elastic pieces has a position protrusion.
 11. The tape reel of claim 1, wherein the first coupling structures and the second coupling structures are a plurality of guide tracks, and the third coupling structures are a plurality of elastic arms.
 12. The tape reel of claim 11, wherein each of the guide tracks has a position flange, and each of the elastic arms has a position notch.
 13. A tape reel comprising: a first reel disk having a first central opening and a plurality of first coupling structures arranged around the first central opening; and a second reel disk having a second central opening and a plurality of third coupling structures arranged .around the second central opening, wherein the second reel disk is rotated relative to the first reel disk to couple the third coupling structures to the first coupling structures for positioning the first reel disk and the second reel disk.
 14. The tape reel of claim 13, wherein the first coupling structures are a plurality of slots, and the third coupling structures are a plurality of plates.
 15. The tape reel of claim 13, wherein the first coupling structures are a plurality of upper elastic pieces, and the third coupling structures are a plurality of lower elastic pieces.
 16. The tape reel of claim 1, wherein the first coupling structures are a plurality of guide tracks, and the third coupling structures are a plurality of elastic arms. 